Pune: In a major breakthrough, the Wanowrie police have arrested nine individuals for their alleged involvement in an attempted theft of underground copper cables valued at Rs40 lakh from the Hadapsar Industrial Area. The incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday, when the gang employed a crane, a truck, and a motorcycle to extract the cables from an underground duct along a roadway at around 3 am. Authorities are currently searching for five additional suspects who are believed to be part of the same criminal network.
How the Theft Was Executed
Senior Inspector Bhausaheb Patil revealed that the accused had hired laborers and enlisted the help of two local residents to carry out the operation. The suspects orchestrated the theft in such a manner that it appeared to passersby as if authorized work was being conducted by the municipal corporation or a private company. This deceptive tactic allowed them to work without raising immediate suspicion.
Details of the Arrested Accused
The arrested individuals have been identified as Aslam Khan (39) and Salman Idris Malik (33), both from Delhi; Aarif Khan (40) and Navi Mohammed (35), both from Bulandshahr; Shoeb Khan (25) of Ghaziabad; Naresh Shrishivcharan (43) of Bhiwani; Anis Ansari Giyasuddin (22) and Asfaq Ansari (22), both from Bettiah; and Pravin Bagul (33) of Hadapsar in Pune. According to Patil, Aslam Khan and his associates are also wanted in connection with similar offenses registered in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Navi Mumbai.
Police Intervention and Seizure
The crime was foiled when a police patrol team spotted the suspects in the act. When questioned, some of the individuals attempted to flee, which heightened suspicion and ultimately exposed the theft. The police seized the crane, truck, and motorcycle used in the commission of the crime. During interrogation, the accused allegedly admitted that they had already identified another location in Hadapsar as their next target.
Background and Ongoing Investigation
Police officials stated that the telecom cables, which had been laid approximately 20 years ago, were no longer in use. The gang's modus operandi and the involvement of out-of-state suspects suggest a well-organized network. Authorities suspect that this gang may be linked to a series of similar copper cable thefts reported over the past six months within the Chatushrungi, Shivajinagar, and Alankar police station jurisdictions. The search for the remaining five suspects continues, and further investigations are underway to uncover the full extent of the criminal operation.
